Is the boom over?: Many Swiss don’t want to buy an e-car

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Bad news for electric car manufacturers: According to a survey by the online comparison portal bonus.ch, 71 percent of the Swiss population currently does not want to buy an electric vehicle. In contrast, 22 percent of those planning to buy an electric car and 7 percent of those who already own an electric car. More than 2,900 Swiss people with car insurance were interviewed for the survey.

It is true that the electric car market continues to grow in Switzerland in 2022 – 17.7 percent of all newly registered cars are fully electric vehicles. In 2021, the rate was still 13.2 percent. But the comparison portal also fears that growth may now slow again. The culprit is the federal government and the cantons. On the one hand, the Federal Council would decide to remove the tax exemption for e-vehicles from 2024. On the other hand, cantonal subsidies are becoming rarer or removed at the same time when purchasing a Stromer.

Declining interest in electric cars

The TCS e-mobility barometer, published at the end of November 2022, also shows that interest in electric cars is declining among the Swiss population. In 2022, the pure e-car will remain one of the means of transportation most residents will want to rely on in the future. It’s also lost its edge, especially compared to 2021 – which, according to the study’s authors, is likely also due to power outages that loomed last winter.

According to surveys by GFS Bern, the proportion of people looking to buy electric cars over the next few years has remained the same, or in some cases even decreased. the future has actually increased a little.

Switzerland is not ready

The question is: Is the electric car boom already over? “No,” says Krispin Romang, Managing Director of the Swiss industry association E-Mobility. “E-mobility is not an explosion that will just end at some point. Electric cars will be today and in the future, and they will come whether you like it or not. The question is whether we Swiss people are ready for electromobility. Current survey values ​​show that we are not. »

Romang says the reasons for continued skepticism about electrically powered vehicles are complex. A decade ago, at the dawn of the e-car era, high prices, insufficient ranges, and too long charging times prevented many drivers from making the switch, whereas today the lack of home charging facilities would have deterred people from buying. “Tenants or condominium owners often lack access to the charging network. And as long as that is missing, too many people will decide against the electric car.”

Switzerland continues to lag behind when it comes to electrification of transport

People have the right to shop.

Krispin Romang also blames the federal government largely for the current situation: “Compared to other countries, Switzerland does little to promote e-mobility. There is constant reference to voluntary measures and the reliance on private actors rather than the state to actively help shape development. Switzerland needs a regulatory framework, the population has the right to remuneration. Otherwise we will soon be in a very bad situation.” The next few years will decide whether Switzerland will lag behind when it comes to e-mobility.

Source: Blick